Posts Tagged With: Sunset

It’s ready for for download

I am not sure if you know, but I am a regular contributor to the HDRONE.com (HDR One) online magazine. Each month the magazine is available in a downloadable version that you can read on your electronic device, or you can just print it out.

It is a great magazine, not just for HDR fans, but anyone who enjoys the art of photography… so feel free to download it for yourself (Just click on the Magazine Cover to go to the Download Page)

This month includes interviews with Elia Locardi and Conor MacNeill, we also have an exclusive article from Scott Frederick about the contents of his camera bag – none of which has been published on the HDR One website.

And the very talented designer, Nikola Totuhov, has taken time out of his very busy schedule to give the downloadable magazine a sexy new look. And you will find a review of some HDR software from yours truly too!

Today’s iCandy – Long Jetty

This is Long Jetty on the Central Coast. This sunset was so good, in fact one of the best I have had the pleasure of photographing. We don’t have too many places around Sydney where I can shoot the sunset over water, Long Jetty is one of the few…

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I am loving the X-E1 for landscape and HDR photography

I know, I have rattled on a fair bit about this camera in the past few months, but I do really think these mirrorless wonders will supersede the DSLR, especially for the majority of the market… I think they call them prosumers… anyway, to me it’s anyone that bought a DSLR for the convenience of interchangeable lenses and of course, the image quality.

The downside of the DSLR is the bulk and the weight, and this has been fixed with the mirrorless camera. The Fuji X-E1 I can carry with me all day, I don’t feel like I am weighed down, even the bag I have for it is small, and is easy to carry all day! In the past, it was a trade off, the heavier it got, the better the image quality.. the lighter, the less image quality and things like shutter lag etc. etc…. The mirrorless camera is lighter, almost like a point and shoot… yet it still has superb image quality! So you can have your cake and eat it too!

Today’s iCandy – The shed by the Harbour

This is a HDR image I have taken with the Fuji X-E1. It is 3 exposures. I had the Fuji mounted on a tripod, and it is really easy to manually do the bracketing by moving the EV dial in between shots. Sure, it would be nice if there was a function for the camera to take bracketed shots at a spacing of 2ev… maybe in a future firmware upgrade (hopefully you’re reading this Fuji R&D). For now, this is a good solution and probably the easiest out of any of the mirrorless camera’s I have seen.

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The X-E1 delivers

Now that I have Photoshop CS6 and I can use camera RAW to process the Fuji X-E1’s .RAF Raw files, I decided to test out the results. I headed out to shoot the sunset and with the Fuji firmly planted on the tripod, I had the 18mm f2 mounted on the front of it and I was ready to take my photo, and decided to use HDR for this one, I used the EV dial to take my 3 exposures, -2, 0, +2.

The 3 exposures in RAW (click on this image for a closer look)

I then took the 3 exposures and imported them into Photomatix (the software I use to create HDR images) and created my tonemapped version. I then did a little crop in photoshop and today’s iCandy is the end result. I am pretty pleased with the image quality of the Fuji and having full RAW file control in photoshop means I can seriously use this camera for landscape shooting.

Today’s iCandy – Bridge Glow

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I wonder if Nikon are barking up the wrong tree?

I understand the temptation for camera companies to try to come up with something that with rival the smartphone, I can imagine the boardroom conversation of Nikon, Canon, Fuji, Olympus… etc. “How do we create a camera as popular as the iPhone?”… the R&D departments of these manufacturers would be in overdrive, whilst Apple and android developers have this market pretty well stitched up…

Nikon have released a camera, sorry, no, they call it an ‘Android Camera’. The idea is you can get better quality pics on the go and post them to all the social sharing sites… the only problem is it isn’t a phone, so it does not have cellular connection and only works on a wifi, so you need your smart phone with you as well if you want to post pics on the go

It looks like the Nikon Marketing department have done extensive research (not) and seem to think that using this new ‘Android Camera’ over your smartphone will result in more likes for your photo’s, making you more popular and helping you justify carrying the S800c and your smartphone everywhere you go!… watch the video if you like lame stuff…

todays iCandy – Smokey Sunset

Smoke always deepens the colours of a sunset or sunrise. I was on my way home from the Gold Coast and decided to stay overnight at Coffs Harbour. What a great place for photography! The harbour has many vantage points and it is one of the few where you can capture sunset, and sunrise… this was at the end of a rock wall that must have been built to protect the marina, and as I was watching the sun set with my family dolphins were frolicking in the water around us… perfect!

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the Magic of shooting with film

By the time I get around to sending my film to the lab I have forgotten what I had shot… so it’s always a surprise when I get them back from the lab… these next 4 images were all shot using my Hassalblad Xpan panoramic camera. It takes a 35mm film and I shoot using Fuji Velvia 50. The Xpan is a unique camera in that it takes normal frames or a panoramic image, and although film is getting harder to buy, develop and scan I think I will keep shooting with it as I love the challenge. With my DSLR I tend to get a little lazy as it’s easy to just check my exposure as I take each shot, with film, I need to put more thought into what I am shooting and what exposure settings to use.

Nature turned on her charm!

The weather looked average at best mid afternoon and I was getting messages through Facebook and Google+ asking me if the walk will still be on, what if it is raining?, people were generally worried this would be a wash out. I was turning up rain, hail or shine, I had been organizing this photowalk for weeks with Rob Potter from photography hot spots and I was not going to miss it! We had planned this exact date due to low tide and sunset converging… Long Reef is a fantastic spot at any time, but get there at low tide and the place just comes to life! There are photogenic rocks and rock pools everywhere!

We had over 20 people turn up for the walk and as always I am was humbled by how many of you want to come out take photo’s with me… it was great to see such a mix of experience, and to see the more experienced helping out the rookies… it was really nice to see some familiar faces too coming back after my first photowalk in September.

My plan is to squeeze another photowalk in before Christmas, not sure when, and not sure where, but I am keen to make it a walk that finishes with a Christmas dinner and a few drinks for those that would like to stick around and chew the fat!

Capturing the Sunset at Long Reef

Group Shot of the Attendees… a couple had wandered off… but most are in this shot!

Orange Blossom

I actually didn’t take too many photo’s on the walk, I was answering a few questions and helping a couple of people out with settings so they could capture the sunset. I found this one rock that ended up being the star of my show! I would have liked to have walked to the far eastern end of the reef and shoot back over the headland but I didn’t wear my good boots and wasn’t keen on getting my joggers soaked… I will head back next time low tide and sunset meet to see what else I can capture!

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Rocked

Here is another one from the beginning of the walk…

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On my last day in Perth I decided to hit the beach to watch the sun set. (something we don’t really get on the eastern side of the country). Whilst I was waiting I noticed these Seagulls just chilling out on the beach enjoying the view! This was taken at Scarborough Beach just in from of the SLSC.

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